What To Do Now That You're Engaged: The First Five Steps To Wedding Planning

Congratulations on your engagement and welcome to wedding planning!

As you embark on this journey to create the wedding of your dreams, it's natural to feel a mixture of joy, anticipation, and perhaps a touch of overwhelm. The first steps of wedding planning are crucial as they lay the foundation for the entire process. From choosing a date and venue to creating a budget and establishing a vision for your special day, these initial decisions will guide you as you move forward. Trust in your love, enjoy the process, and let the adventure begin!

01. Dream about your wedding and determine what is important to you!

If Pinterest boards were meant for one thing, it’s wedding planning. Make a list of all the things that go into a wedding, like dresses, venues, food, photos, flowers, colors, etc, etc... and then prioritize that list with the things that are most important to you, and the person you’re marrying. Discover what you like, and what you don’t, so you can ensure your wedding day everything you dreamed it’d be.

02. Set your budget

The dreaded budget. The cause of so many arguments, in so many relationships. This is a conversation that needs to be had early on in wedding planning. You’ll need to know, not only, the total budget for the entire wedding, but also, where that money is coming from (are you paying for the wedding yourselves or will you be receiving contributions from family or other means), and when you’ll have the money by. Having the budget handled will make moving forward with the rest of wedding planning much less stressful.

03. Determine the size of your wedding

Whether you want to keep in small and intimate or throw and all out bash, the most important thing is to be on the same page with your spouse and your families. You don’t need a full guest list just yet, but a nice round estimate, and your budget, is good enough to start on one of the biggest decisions of your wedding: the venue.

04. Set a date and a venue

For some couples the date might be the most important part of their day, for one reason or another, while other couples care more about the venue and are willing to work within their availability. Either way it may take some finesse to bring these two together.

05. Find your wedding photographer!

I might be a little biased on this one, but your wedding photographer is the most important vendor. They will be the vendor you spend most of your wedding day with and will create the photos you will look back on for the next 50 years. It’s important to choose a photographer you trust to capture the moments that mean the most to you. Take your time and look at a bunch of photographers so you can ensure to find the right fit to capture your wedding day.

Since your here, you can start by viewing My Portfolio.

As a side note, your photographer will be an excellent resource for creating a schedule for the day and can offer their perspective on certain aspects of your day.

Bonus Tip:

Have fun with wedding planning and remember what this is all about when things seem stressful. Remember, you can always rely on your spouse, the members of your wedding party, your families, and even your various vendors.